Kenneth Kern

Retired Air Force Master Sgt. Kenneth Raymond Kern, 83, of Cape Girardeau died at 8:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 12, 2004, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

He was born Feb. 14, 1921, in Lafayette, Ind., son of Claude J. and Edna Pearl Ingram Kern. He and LaDonne Hellmeyer were married Dec. 24, 1949, in Bellevue, Ohio. She preceded him in death.

A veteran of World War II and the Korean Conflict, Mr. Kern retired from the U.S. Air Force in 1964. He has resided in Cape Girardeau since his retirement.

Survivors include a daughter, Jeanine Ford of Cape Girardeau; a son, Richard Kern of Lake St. Louis, Mo.; two brothers, Charles Kern of Columbus, Ohio, Edwin Kern of Bellevue; three grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers.

There is no visitation.

The funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with the Rev. Daniel Hackney officiating. Burial will be in Hanover Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Sloan-Kettering Cancer Research, 1275 York Avenue, New York, N.Y., 10021.